UFC middleweight champion Dricus Du Plessis successfully defends his title in a rematch against Sean Strickland in Sydney, Australia.
Image: UFC

UFC middleweight champion Dricus “DDP” Du Plessis defended his belt in a five-round fight, winning by unanimous decision against US-based fighter Sean Strickland. 

In a rematch at the Qudos Bank Arena in Sydney, Australia, on Sunday morning [SA time], Du Plessis dominated the fight from the second round and broke Strickland's nose in the fourth round.

The champ silenced naysayers who felt Strickland was robbed of the title in the first fight when DDP walked out with a victory by split decision in a close fight in January last year.

This time, however, he won by unanimous decision. The three judges scored the fight 50-45, 50-45, and 49-46 after DDP mixed it up with kicks to the head, spinning back kicks, fists and elbows. 

“Is there no one else?” Du Plessis said as he looked straight at former middleweight champion, Alex Perreira, who was in Strickland's corner. 

In his post-fight interview, Strickland admitted he lost fair and square. 

“That f***er broke my nose ... The Dutchman is a bad motherf***er. He kicked my a** fair and square. Props to him.” 

Two modern day gladiators! These are the moments that make us love MMA. Dricus Du Plessis and Sean Strickland thank you for one hell of a fight.

Congratulations @dricusduplessis on an amazing hard fought victory! Your heart and will to win is what separates you from everyone… pic.twitter.com/0MCrygyypn

— Nina-Marie Daniele (@ninamdrama) February 9, 2025

Du Plessis, who made his debut in the UFC in October 2020, was now on his ninth winning streak, having defeated three former champions including Israel Adesanya in August last year and Robert Whittaker. 

Du Plessis could face Khamzat Chimaev after UFC president Dana White said this week that Chimaev would likely be next for a title shot against the winner. 

While he walked out to the South African national anthem in Sydney, the champ sparked outrage in the country this week when he attended a press conference wearing a T-shirt with “Trump supports champs” printed on it. 

“With everything going on right now, change is coming, good changes. He [US President Donald Trump] will hold a lot of countries accountable for everything,” Du Plessis said.

“Obviously, being a champion, he said he wants champions in his team and he said it on X. Big shout-out to fellow South African Elon Musk for also doing the right thing. Like I said, Trump prefers champions.”

This after US President Donald Trump took to X, stating that South Africa was “confiscating land, and treating certain classes of people very badly”, and recently ordering a probe into South Africa's alleged violation of human rights.